History of Talus
They say that history is written by those in power, and this story is no different. As it is written, the elves have always been fickle in nature. Thanks to their broken promises to the human King Alran Mylyrael, he paid the greatest cost to claim victory over Stonebearer rule, leaving his son to rule a newly forged empire. In turn, blaming the elves for his father’s death, Darius Mylyrael sought justice for this betrayal. The war of the elves was long and costly, but the aging king swore he would not leave this world while a single elf still drew breath. Seeking aid from a higher power, Darius made many great offerings to the Saints, anticipating their quick intervention. The king did find his aid, but at a great cost. It is uncertain what he traded, or to whom, but in return he and his kin received the gifts of power, eternal youth, and great influence. Using this new-found power, the king reinforced his efforts and pushed the elven armies from his lands. After suffering losses they could not sustain, the last of the elves retreated from mortal lands. Seeing the elven nations broken, never to return, the cursed king passed away quietly in his sleep. His seven eldest sons, Princes marked by their father's pact, divide the land among themselves and each ruled their province according to their own nature. The kingdom enjoyed peace - for a time. No one knows for certain how the conflict started, but the bards say it came about from an economic dispute between the eldest and the youngest of the ruling nobility. It is said that the youngest, named Arthik, lead his people mercilessly and enforced high taxes to fuel his lust for luxury. The oldest, Osrean, in contrast, ruled his land with fair and balanced discipline to ensure prosperity. When Arthik had bled his land dry of wealth, he turned to his older brother for reprieve, demanding that Osrean relieve him of his burdens and send aid. His brother refused, believing that the only way to teach his brother how to truly rule justly was to have him overcome these trials himself. Arthik, in his youth, took this as an insult and gathered his men for battle. Each Prince, seeking his own gain, began to move against the others. Thus began the War of the Sons. The war ended many years later, once all of the ruling lords had killed each other and thousands of lives had been lost with no victor. What was once a vibrant civilization has now been reduced to a handful of towns scattered throughout a wasted and ruined kingdom. In more recent times... High Drakes, being led by a creature they refer to as the “Burning One,” begin to end life on Talus they believe to be unworthy. Because of the recent altercations with the Stonebearers, most are ill-prepared for this new threat. Town are destroyed by a great winged beast, which many believe to be a Dragon. Timeline *1st Year of Hemoru - Emperor Hemoru, the last of the stonebearer emperors, ascends to the throne. 22nd Year of Hemoru - A large scale rebellion takes place among the low drake slaves within the stonebearer empire. *86th Year of Hemoru - The long-standing alliance between Stonebearers and elves dissolves as the elves withdraw from the partnership. *104th Year of Hemoru - Several hundred ships, carrying tens of thousands of humans, land on the shores of Talus. *107th Year of Hemoru - The humans, led by Alran Mylyrael, begin conquering lands controlled by the divided stonebearer empire. *116th Year of Hemoru - General Mylyrael signs a treaty with the elven nation, brokering a deal for elven reinforcements. *119th Year of Hemoru - General Mylyrael meets Emperor Hemoru on the field of battle. Elven reinforcements fail to arrive, but the human armies claim victory at a bloody price - General Mylyrael receives a fatal wound while slaying Emperor Hemoru. Darius Mylyrael assumes the throne won by his father. *1st Year of Mylyrael - The human city of Moarfyre, among others, is founded. *11th Year of Mylyrael - King Mylyrael declares war on the elven nation that betrayed the treaty signed by his father. *19th Year of Mylyrael - The first gypsy circus is formed by half-elves and other elven races that are exiled from human cities. *46th Year of Mylyrael - King Mylyrael realizes that the war will not end before his death. In an effort to prevent his people from fighting a war that he started, without his leadership, he makes a deal with a mysterious entity. While it is unclear what the King traded, he received great personal power and a greatly extended lifespan. *81st Year of Mylyrael - Echoes of battle within and atop the mountain peaks are reported by villages dotting the nearby mountain ranges. *132nd Year of Mylyrael - The elves, forced to retreat or be annihilated, vanish from the world, effectively ending the war. Six months later, King Mylyrael dies. *1st Year of Seven Kings - The late King’s seven sons divide his kingdom up amongst themselves. *2nd Year of Seven Kings - The city of Rogelhan is founded. *4th Year of Seven Kings - A dispute between two sons causes a rapid increase in tension between all seven brothers. *5th Year of Seven Kings - The War of the Sons begins. Over the course of the war, allegiances between the brothers change and are betrayed seemingly on a daily basis. *9th Year of Seven Kings - Simara is founded as a refugee camp, and quickly grows to the size of a full-fledged city. *36th Year of Seven Kings - A clan of stonebearers, refugees from their own mountain homes, establish a settlement in the D’Intagan mountain range. *38th Year of Seven Kings - After more than 30 years at war, the only two Princes remaining face each other on the field of battle in what is eXPected by both sides to be a small skirmish over an insignificant valley. General Zendrass, the high drake general of one army, decides he has had enough fighting, and convinces all of the men loyal to him to simply quit the field and return home. The message spreads to the other army, and soon the Princes find themselves abandoned by all but a handful of warriors each. The Princes and their retainers slay each other to the last man, and the War of Sons ends in an insignificant valley with no victors on either side. *1st Year of Empty Thrones - The deserters of the war return to their homes, spread out among many small towns and a few cities. The cities that remain take to governing themselves and the lands directly surrounding their walls. *29th Year of Empty Thrones - Word begins to spread of stonebearers rising from their mountains. *30th Year of Empty Thrones - A tribe of orcs, driven from their lands, settles in the vast forest in the middle of the cities of Moarfyre, Rogelhan, and Simara. Tensions rise between the four factions as each believes the others are planning some sort of attack. *31st Year of Empty Thrones - Unsure of the intentions of the stonebearers and the orcs, the leaders of Moarfyre, Rogelhan, and Simara meet to decide on their response. **The Gypsy Circus, The Tumbling Knaves, goes to war with Petrov’s Merriment. The Knaves fail, ultimately ending their Circus. *32nd Year of Empty Thrones-Simara breaks into civil war between the Church of the Saints and a group called “Followers of the One.” **The Saulen Stonebearers begin their invasion, taking over frontier towns around the Saulen Mountains. The Saulen also lend aid to the “Followers of the One,” making the war drawn out and bloody. **The Saulen invade the D’intagen Mountains, smashing the forces of the D’intagen Stonebearers. **A Mylyrael Warlord begins to attack Frontier towns, enslaving those who do not simply yield. Though the Warlord and the Saulen do not seem allies, they never meet on the field. **A band of people, making a name for themselves, sometimes referred to as “The Heroes” get captured by the Saulen Stonebearers. It seems as though the Saulen will rule the surface world. * 33rd Year of Empty Thrones- The Saulen Stonebearers fall from within. The captured Heroes break free and kill the Saulen King. The Stonebearers then retreat into their mountain, offering for any Stonebearers (including disgraced ones) to return home. The War of the Saulen ends. ** Countless High Drakes Across Talus seemingly disappear. ** The Civil War in Simara is resolved, in the favor of the Churches. New evidence is shown that reveals a close connection between the two religions. Peace come, though some refuse to accept the “Truth”. Many Followers of the One leave Simara. ** The Crystal that protects the Council of Moarfyre is stolen during the festival celebrating its greatness. Niberious Patronus, a Councilman, is removed for attempts to “Sell the city to the Saulen.” Gustav Trotun, a Councilman, is assassinated. Two new Councilmen are appointed. ** High Drakes begin to attack towns, even going so far as to attack Rhogelhan. ** Thorne’s Company withdraws from Rhogelahn. Within hours the city falls to looting and death. ** A Dragon is seen to the far North West. *34th Year of Empty Thrones- More and more people on Talus begin to catch glimpses of the Dragon. Entire Frontier towns disappear overnight, either to Flame or High Drake incursion. Section heading Write the second section of your page here.